Refrigeration unit



July 12, 1932- R. w. KRlTZER 1,856,810

REFRIGERATIbN UNIT Filed Feb. 20. 1929 9 I it '22 ATTORNEYS INVENTORtion unit.

Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED Y STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD W. KRITZER,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PEERLESS ICE MACHINE COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS REFRIGERATION UNIT Application filed February 20,1929. Serial No. 841,523.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigeration units, and itconsists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a refrigeration unit in whichnovel displacement means is provided whereby a maximum coolingefficiency is attained with a minimum amount of refrigerant Liquid.

A further object is to provide a refrigeration unit in which thedisplacement means is so arranged that a film of refrigerant liquid istprovided around the internal walls of the re rigeration unit.

A further object isto provide arefrigeration unit in which the cover forthe unit is provided with displacement means whereby a relatively simpleconstruction is attained.

A further object is to provide a refrigeration unit of the typeemploying a float and in which a recess is provided andshaped tosubstantially conform to .the contour of the float, whereby the latterwill be actuated by a film of refrigerant liquid. A further object is toprovide a refrigeration unit of a type which will freeze ice cubes andthe like in any one unit of a multiple unit refrigeration installation,and in which the freezing is attained in a minimum length of time.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specificationand the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part ofthis application, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view taken along theline 1-1 of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is an end elevation partly in section ofa refrigeration unitconstructed in accordance with my invention, and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a refrigeration system employing myrefrigera- In carrying out my invention, I make use of a main or floatchamber 1 having an open end 2 and a flange portion 3 surrounding theopen end. A cover 4: having a displacement member 5 formed integrallytherewith is arranged to close the open end of the float chamber 1. Thecover 4: is secured to the flange 3 by means of bolts or screws 6. Thedisplacement member 5 is provided with a freezing chamber 7 and isdisposed within thei float chamber 1, as shown in Figures 1 an 2.

The displacement member 5 is proportioned so that a space 8 is providedbetween vided with arm portions 13 pivotally mounted between bosses 14by means of a pin 15. The floatlever 12 is'provided with an arm 16having a valve 17 arranged for closing the passage 11. a

'The displacement. member 5 is provided with a recess 18 substantiallyconforming to the shape of a float 19 connected with the'float lever 12.The recess 18 is slightly larger than the float, whereby a space 20 isprovided between the float and the walls of the recess. In referring toFigure 1, it will be seen that I have provided a passageway 21 forplacing the recess 18 in communication with the space 8. The flatchamber 1 is provided with a boss 22 having a threaded opening 23 forreceiving one end of a vapor pipe as shown in Figure 3. Any suitabletray 24, see Figure 2, may be placed within the freezing chamber 7 forfreezing ice cubes.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily. understood. Referring now to Figure 3,it will be seen that a vapor line 25 is connected with the float chamber1 by reason of the threaded opening 23 and a compressor 26.The'compressor is operated by a motor 27 connected with a source ofcurrent through conductors 28 and 29. A pipe 30 connects the compressor26 with a condenser 31. The condenser is operatively connected with thefloat chamber 1 by means of a refrigerant liquid pipe 32 having one enddisposed within the threaded opening 10. In operation when thecompressor 26 is actuated, the refrigerant vapor will be forced into thecondenser 31, where it is cooled and liquefied. The liquid is thenconveyed from the condenser to the float chamber through the medium ofthe pipe 32 to the passageway 11.

When a suflicient amount of liquid has passed into the float chamber 1to fill the space 8, the passageway 21, and a part of therecess 18, thefloat 19 will be lifted. When a proper amount of refrigerant liquid hasbeen forced into the float chamber, the float lever 12 will be liftedsufliciently far .for moving the valve 17 into engagement with its valveseat, thereby closing the passageway 11.

'Thus it will be seen that the valve 11 will stop the passage of therefrigerant liquid into the float chamber until such time as asufficient amount of liquid has been vaporized,

due to the operation of the compressor pulling the vapor through thepipe 25. After a certain amount of liquid has been vaporized, the liquidlevel will be such that the valve 11 will again permit the liquid to bepassed into the float chamber. The construction of my device is suchthat the float 19 is actuated for regulating the valve 11 in such amanner that the refrigerant liquid is permitted to pass into the floatchamber in quantities equal to the amount of liquid vaporized.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerating system, a refrigerationunit comprising a floatchamber for containlng a refrigerant liquid, displacement means disposedwithin the float chamber and having an opening, and float-operated valvemeans disposed within the chamber for reg ulating the level of theliquid therein, said float being disposed within the opening andsubstantially conforming to the shape of the latter whereby the floatwill be actuated by w the liquid fihn between the float and the walls ofthe o ening.

2. In a refrigerating system, a refrigeration unit comprising a floatchamber for con taining a refrigerant liquid and being provided with anopen end, a cover means for closing the open end of said float chamber,

displacement means associated with said cover and disposed within thefloat chamber for providing a film of refrigerantliquid be-- tom, saidfloat chamber being provided with a depression above said freezingchamber, and float-operated valve means disposed within the floatchamber for controlling the level of a refrigerant liquid therein, thefloat associated with said valve means being disposed within thedepression and the contour of said depression being shaped tosubstantially conform to the shape of said float.

4. In a refrigerating system, a float chamber for containing arefrigerant liquid, dlS- placement means disposed within the floatchamber andbeing provided with a depresslon, and float-controlled valvemeans disposed within the float chamber for controlling the level of arefrigerant liquid within the float chamber, said displacement meansbeing spaced away from the walls ofsaidfloatchamber, the floatassociated with said valve means being disposed withinsaid depression,said displacement means being provided with a' passageway for placingsaid depression in communication with the space between the displacementmeans and the float chamber.

5. A-refrigeration unit comprising a float chamber having an open end, acover for closing said open end and being provided with displacementmeans spaced away from the walls of said float chamber, saiddisplacement means being provided with a depression and an openingarranged for placing the depression in communication with the spacebetween the displacement means and the float chamber, andfloat-controlled valve means for controlling the passage of arefrigerant liquid into the float chamber, the float associated withsaid valve means being substantially disposed within said depression.

6. A refrigeration unit comprising a float chamber having an open end, acover for closing said open end and being provided with displacementmeans spaced away from the walls of said float chamber, saiddisplacement means being provided with a'depression and an openingarranged for placing thedepression in communication with the spacebetween the displacement means and the float chamber, andfloat-controlled valve means for controlling the passage of arefrigerant liquid into' the float chamber, the float associated withsaid valve means being substantially disposed within said depression,said float chamber being provided with a passageway whereby thevaporized refrigerant liquid may be drawn from said float chamber.-

7. A coolingunit comprising a casing having an open end, a cover forclosing said open end, float operated valve means disposed within saidcasing, and a displacement element formed integrally with said coverarranged to provide a narrow space for a refrigerant between the wallsof the shell and the displacement element and between the floatassociated with said valve means and the displacement element.

8. A cooling unit comprising a casing having an open end, a cover forcloslng said open end, said cover being provided with an inlet toprovide a narrow space for a refrigerant the space above saiddisplacement means be-,

between the displacement element and the walls of the casing'and betweenthe float and said displacement element.

9. A cooling'unit comprising a casing having an open end, acover forclosing said open 'end, said cover being' provided with a displacementbl-ock having a freezing chamber and a depression, said displacementmeans being disposed within said casing for providing a narrow space forrefrigerant between the displacement block and the walls of said casingwhen said cover is placed in position,

ing adapted for a float chamber, float controlled valve means associatedwith said cover and the displacement block for controlling the passageof refrigerant into said casing,

the float associated with said float controlled valve means beingdisposed within said depression and operated by a film of refrigerantbetween'the float and the walls of the depression, said cover beingprovided with an inlet opening controlled by said valve meansand thecasing being provided with an outlet opening, and means for securing thecover to said casing. 7

10. A cooling unit comprising a casing having an open end,'a cover forclosing said open end, said cover being provided with a displacementblock having a freezing cham her and a depression, said displacementmeans being disposed within said casing for providing a narrow space forrefrigerant be: tween the displacement block and the walls of saidcasing when said cover is placed in position, the space above saiddisplacement means being adapted for a float chamber, float controlledvalve means associated with said cover and the dis-placement block forcontrolling the passage of refrigerant into said casing. the floatassociated with said float icontrolled valve means being disposed withinsaid depression and operated by a film of refrigerant between the floatand the wallsof the depression, and means for removably securingthecover to said casing.

11. In an evaporator having float operated valve means and an open end,a coverfor closing said open end, said cover being provided-withadisplacement element arranged jtoprovide af film of refrigerant betweenthe walls of the evaporator and the displacement element and between thelatter and the float associated with said float operated valve means. 5-J v 1 12. In an evaporator having float operated a narrow space for afilm of refrigerant ,be-

tween the walls of the shell and the displacement means and between thelatter and the float associated with said float operated valvemechanism.

14. In a cooling unit having a float chamber, displacement meansdisposed within the float chamber and having a recess, andfloat operatedvalve means disposed within the chamber and having its float disposedwithin said recess, said recess being of such dimension with respectto'the float that the latter will be actuated by a relatively smallquantity of refrigerant.

15. A cooling unit comprising a housing having an open end, a cover forclosing said open end and having a displacement member positioned withinthe housing, said displacement member being provided with a float recessand a freezing chamber, and float operated valve means for controllingthe flow of a refrlgerant into said housing, the float being positionedwithin said recess, said recess being of such dimension with respect tothe float that the latter will be actuated by a relatively smallquantity of refrigerant.

16. In a refrigerating system, a refrigerating unit comprising a floatchamber having an open end, a cover for closing the same, displacementmeans associated with said cover and arranged for providing a space fora film of refrigerant liquid between the displacement means and thewalls of the float chamher, said displacement means being provided witha depression, and float-operated valve means for controlling'the levelof the refrigerant liquid within the float chamber, the

placement means and the walls'of the float chamber, said displacementmeans being provided with a depression, and float-operated valve meansfor controlling the level of \the refrigerant liquid within the floatchamber,

the float associated with said valve means being disposed within saiddepression for providing a space for a film of refrigerant liquidbetween the float and the walls of said depression, said displacementmeans being provided with a passageway for placing said depression incommunication with the space between the walls of the float chamber andthe displacement means. 7

Signed at Chicago in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois this 7thday of February, A. D. 1929.

RICHARD V. KRITZER.

